Observational studyApplied health economics and health policy2026
COVID-19-Related Healthcare Utilization and Costs in a Large Insured US Population, 2021-2025.
Observational study in Applied health economics and health policy, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Authors and funding
6 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundComprehensive understanding of the economic impacts of COVID-19 over time remains limited, with recent estimates lacking both broad population coverage and detailed assessment of disease severity.
objectiveTo provide updated estimates on healthcare utilization and costs associated with COVID-19 during both pandemic and post-pandemic periods using administrative claims data.
methodsThis retrospective observational study used administrative medical claims data in the USA from the Merative™ MarketScan
resultsFrom July 2021 to June 2025, approximately 64,000 COVID-19-related hospitalizations and 4.2 million outpatient cases were identified based on primary diagnoses. Hospitalization rates ranged from 3.0 to 1037.8 per 100,000 enrollee-years, and outpatient rates ranged from 10.4 to 122.1 per 1000 enrollee-years, peaking in early 2022 and declining thereafter with seasonal fluctuations. Hospitalization rates decreased across all age groups, although adults aged ≥ 65 years maintained the highest burden (312.6 per 100,000 enrollee-years in July 2024-June 2025). Mean length of stay and hospitalization costs declined across most adult groups, particularly for ICU-related cases. In the post-pandemic period, mean hospitalization costs ranged from $16,149 to $213,740 with a mean length of stay from 2.6 to 22.6 days. The mean outpatient costs ranged from $361 to $770 per case. Nationally, annual direct medical costs were estimated to be as high as $38.7 billion during the pandemic period and as high as $8.6 billion in 2024-2025, with adults aged ≥ 65 years accounting for approximately half of total expenditures.
conclusionsCOVID-19 continues to impose a substantial and persistent economic burden, even in the post-pandemic period, underscoring the importance of ongoing mitigation strategies and efficient healthcare resource planning.
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